Best Parks To Walk Your Dog In Tampa Bay

April 10, 2014 9:00 AM

File photo of a dog going for a walk. (Photo by PATRIK STOLLARZ/AFP/Getty Images)

Many dog owners take their four-legged friends for walks in the nearby park. However, those same owners long for a place to let their dog run free. The Tampa Bay area has many parks in the surrounding counties where dogs can run off-leash. Some parks even have equipment set up for the dogs to play on and crawl through.

Logan Gate Dog Park is a large park with two enclosed areas: one for small dogs and one for large dogs. Each gated dog run has a double gate to prevent dogs from getting out of the area. The park is well maintained and is situated in a nice neighborhood. Poop bags and trash cans are strategically located for easy clean-up after your dog. Water and community water bowls are also provided at all watering areas. Unfortunately, there are no shaded areas for dogs or humans to get out of the hot sun. Overall, this is a wonderful park with lots of room for dogs to run around and have fun.

Rowlett Dog Park is not as large as some of the other dog parks in the Tampa area, but the design of the ark makes up for the smaller size. There are lots of trails on which you can walk your leashed dog. One of the walking trails has a beautiful view of the Hillsborough River. Pavilions and grills dot the landscape for the enjoyment of humans and dogs alike. This park even offers an agility area so your four-legged friend can have fun and exercise all at the same time. As with most of the dog parks in the area, there are fenced areas for large dogs and another one for small dogs where pets can go off leash and are able to run free for a while.

This beautiful 132-acre park is located within sight of both Raymond James Stadium and Steinbrenner Field. Al Lopez Park has one of the largest off-leash dog areas in the area. There is a section for all dogs and a section for small dogs. Both doggie sections have a picnic table nearby and a children’s playground so parents can watch their children and their dogs playing in the park. There are lots of shade trees at this park. The dog park has step-on water faucets for the dogs to get water and community bowls that drain slowly so water does not sit in the bowls.

Enterprise Dog Park is a very large, shaded park. This park is so large that dogs will forget they are in a fenced-in area. There are lots of trees in the park and even a wooded area for dogs to trample through inside the fenced-in area. Also on site are a handful of watering areas with bowls, clean-up stations equipped with doggie bags and a washing area to rinse off the dogs. When it rains, the park does get muddy in some areas but the dogs will love running through and playing in the mud. There are two separate fenced-in areas: one for the dogs to run in and one with steps and tubes for the dogs to play on.

Crescent Lake Park opens just before sunrise and closes at sunset. The park itself consists of 52 acres, but only one acre is designated for dogs. As with most dog parks, there are lots of watering spots for dogs and the area is fenced with a six-foot fence. There are lots of shade trees for dogs to relax under and even several fire hydrants for the dogs to enjoy. However, there are no separate areas for large and small dogs.